Train Rides

Carter Swenson, District 8

Lilac turns the TV off and sighs. She's tried to be friendly, but just seems closed off ever since we got on the train. I don't blame her, she probably hasn't recovered from her time in the arena. And now she has to give two children all the information they need to become victors.

I turn to look at my district partner. She sits on the other couch by herself, her knees to her chest. Her head lies to the side, telling me she didn't watch a second of the reapings. I shrug. My advantage, I guess.

Nobody stood out to me, asshole Careers in the first districts, scared kids in the rest. I can't fathom that twenty three of us will be dead in the coming months. How do others do it?

"So, what should we know?" I turn to Lilac.

"Don't get attached." She says bluntly. I look at my district partner, totally uninvested in my existence. Yeah, I don't think I'll have to worry about her. Plus, none of the guys that were reaped were cute. I think I can manage that.

"Noted. Anything else?" I ask. Do I expect to win? Of course not. Am I giving up? Of course not. I'm just a realist.

"Don't let your guard down, focus on survival, anything can happen out there." I hear her sigh. "I'm sorry, I wish I could be more useful." I shrug. Can't expect her to know everything.

I remember watching past Games, watching the horrors the tributes went through. Tributes watching their best friends die, dying themselves. And it's not just other children you have to worry about. Starvation, dehydration, exposure. That doesn't even include Gamemaker threats, like tracker jackers, lava, rain, hell, they can concoct anything to torture us with. I close my eyes and shake the thoughts out of my head.

"Can I be excused?" I hear Lavender say. Lilac nods and she gets up to retreat to her room. I feel bad for the kid. I feel bad for every kid I saw on that screen. Everything about this stupid event makes me hate the Capitol more and more.

Lilac excuses herself as well, and tells me if I need anything just to let her know. I nod as she walks to another train compartment. I think about last year's games, which were even more horrifying than usual. Watching her lose that boy, that was harsh. Watching the Capitol murder innocent families without hesitation was awful as well. What kind of cruel asshole thought that was a good twist?

How am I supposed to go into those games and be expected to kill other children? How is anybody expected to do that? How can we continue to do this, year after year?

Seriah Jamison, District 10

I sit on my bed with my knees to my chest. I rest my head on my legs, looking out the train window. The train moves past endless amounts of trees with the occasional town in sight. I refused to watch the recap of the reapings with Jeff and everyone else. I shut myself in my room the second we got on the train, uninterested in everything. An avox has brought me food, but I haven't touched it. My mentor has knocked a few times, but after many moments of my silence she left. I have no reason to speak with any of them.

I hear another knock at my door and I roll my eyes. These idiots just don't get it, do they?

That's when I hear my cousins voice. My previous thoughts make me feel guilty, but I give him permission to enter.

He walks in and shuts the door behind him, pulling up a chair and sitting next to my bed. He sighs.

"Jewels isn't a fan of your attitude." He tells me. I laugh.

"I'm not a fan of her existence, yet you don't hear me complaining do you?" He shakes his head.

"I still think you should have joined us, to get a first glance at our competition. Lot's of interesting tributes." I shrug.

"I'll see them all when we get there, what difference does it make?" I can tell my attitude is irritating him, but he doesn't complain. We sit in silence for a while before I decide to humor him.

"Tell me what you saw." He looks surprised.

"Bloodthirsty Careers, as usual. Two volunteers from other districts, the girls from six and seven. Siblings from eleven. No one seemed like a threat but the Careers, as long as we never let our guard down. I think we have a solid chance." I bite my tongue from reminding him only one of us can win.

"Great. You have a game plan for when we get there?" I ask.

"I'd rather no one see us as a threat, the less noticed we are the better. Focus on survival and defense, hope the Careers kill themselves. I'm not sure what else we can plan." I nod in agreement. It's a better plan than I have, that's for sure.

"Well, thanks for the pep talk, but I think I'm going to sleep now." He nods and as if on queue, nods. He hugs me tight before leaving.

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